49ers Expected To Maintain High Asking Price In Mac Jones Trade
Teams in need of a new quarterback this spring could attempt to go down the trade route. In that event, Mac Jones would be a coveted passer. 
Jones’ impressive showing with the 49ers in 2025 helped rebuild his value. The former first-rounder was unable to duplicate the success of his rookie year in New England, and as of last offseason it was unclear when – or if – he would receive another QB1 opportunity. That time could soon be approaching, with a strong trade market being something to watch for in Jones’ case.
As things stand, the 27-year-old is under contract with San Francisco for 2026. Jones is scheduled to carry a cap charge of only $3.07MM, while his base salary ($1.4MM) would be highly attractive to any number of suitors. Those financial factors are of course among the reasons why San Francisco’s preference would be to retain Jones as affordable Brock Purdy insurance. When trade calls are made, the team is expected to drive a hard bargain.
“It’s a tough market to read this early in the process,” a personnel member whose team is in need of a new quarterback told SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora. “I know that [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] doesn’t want to lose him. I think they’ll put up a pretty good fight. You’re going to have to knock their socks off.”
Cost-effective passers are of course a highly valuable commodity in the NFL, so it would come as no surprise if the 49ers maintained a high asking price on the Jones front. The Alabama product could be viewed as the latest quarterback to spend time with Shanahan and then thrive elsewhere, not unlike how Sam Darnold‘s career has surged over the past two years. That leads Matt Barrows of The Athletic to write (subscription required) “circumstances are aligning” for San Francisco to receive a trade offer too strong to turn down.
Purdy’s $53MM-per-year pact runs through the 2030 season. The value and upside Jones provides will be accounted for as the 49ers plan their offseason approach under center. Whether or not they set the price of a trade too high for a swap to take place will be interesting to monitor over the coming weeks.
NFC West Notes: 49ers, Rams, Cross
The 49ers acquired what turned out to be a quality trade chip when they gave Mac Jones a two-year, $7MM contract. That turned out to bring strong value, after the team saw Brock Purdy miss eight games. San Francisco managed a 5-3 record with Jones at the helm, and with Purdy in the $50MM-AAV club, the 49ers are expected to receive trade calls on their backup. While San Francisco wants to retain Jones, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows predicts the team will receive an offer strong enough to move on.
With Jones tied to a $1.4MM base salary and teams undoubtedly interested in turning to him as a starter, the 49ers could certainly ask for a Day 2 pick and a Day 3 choice. A second-round pick may not be out of the question for a player who could be in demand. Jones, 27, completed a career-high 69.6% of his passes in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense last season. He surpassed 2,000 passing yards in limited duty and finished with a 13-6 TD-INT ratio. The 49ers seeing Purdy miss extensive time years after Jimmy Garoppolo‘s injury-plagued tenure will naturally influence them to stay the course with Jones, but a big offer could certainly change the team’s thinking.
Here is the latest from the NFC West:
- While Fred Warner was practicing again when the 49ers’ season ended, defensive ends Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams were out of the picture. Bosa suffered an ACL tear in Week 3, while Williams went down with an ACL tear in Week 9. John Lynch said (via Barrows) training camp returns will be expected for both players. Bosa made it back from his September 2020 ACL tear by Week 1 of the 2021 season. While Williams landing on the reserve/PUP list would not surprise, an early expectation points to the 2025 first-rounder being ready to start the 2026 campaign.
- The Rams are adding a coach to their defensive backs contingent. Michael Hunter will be added to Sean McVay‘s staff, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz tweets. Hunter is coming over from Tennessee. He did not spend much time with the SEC program, being hired after the 2025 season. Hunter previously coached cornerbacks at Ohio State for two seasons. Hunter, 32, played six NFL games with the Giants from 2016-17. The Rams have seen pass-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant receive extensive DC interest, but he has not landed a job yet.
- Staying with Rams DB matters, safety Quentin Lake‘s recent extension covers three years and is worth $38.25MM. Of the previously reported $25.7MM guaranteed figure, just $8.5MM of that total will be guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. If on the roster by Day 3 of the 2026 league year, Lake will see an additional $3.25MM guarantee for 2026 and see his full $12.75MM 2027 compensation shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee. If on the Rams’ roster by Day 5 of the 2028 league year, Lake will be due a $2.55MM roster bonus.
- Charles Cross‘ four-year, $104.4MM Seahawks extension includes $43.1MM fully guaranteed, per OverTheCap. The Super Bowl champions have structured this deal similarly to Sam Darnold‘s. Cross will see his $13.63MM 2027 salary become fully guaranteed five days after Super Bowl LXI. Cross will carry a $10.88MM cap hit in 2026; the number spikes to $23MM in 2027.
49ers Expected To Receive Trade Calls On QB Mac Jones
Last offseason, the 49ers added Mac Jones on a two-year contract. That proved to be a worthwhile investment given the former first-rounder’s level of play when filling in for an injured Brock Purdy. 
Jones looms as a potential trade target given the dearth of other veteran passers in position to reach the market. However, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan recently made clear the team’s intention of keeping Jones in place for 2026. Cost-controlled passers are nevertheless a highly valuable commodity, and trade calls can be expected.
“Multiple” teams plan to at least reach out to the 49ers about a Jones trade, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports (video link). That would come as no surprise. The former Patriots first-rounder won five of his eight starts in 2025, setting new career highs in completion percentage (69.6%) and yards per attempt (7.4) along the way. Much of that has been attributed to Shanahan’s scheme, but a trade aimed at giving Jones another opportunity to operate as a full-time starter would naturally be compelling for any number of teams.
A high asking price would be required for San Francisco’s stance to budge. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, it remains the team’s plan to keep both Purdy and Jones for 2026. The 49ers made a massive investment in Purdy last offseason, inking him to a pact averaging $53MM per season. An affordable QB2 will of course be key throughout the life of that extension. Jones, 27, is due $3.25MM for 2026 as things stands; that includes a base salary ($1.4MM) which would be highly attractive to quarterback-needy teams.
Per Pelissero, Jones and his camp could push for a “contractual adjustment” in the event a strong trade market develops but the 49ers elect to keep him. At least a moderate raise could be in store based on the Alabama product’s level of play in 2025. San Francisco has a history of agreeing to top-ups for several players with Shanahan and general manager John Lynch in place. It will be interesting to see if the list on that front grows relatively soon.
Especially if Daniel Jones remains in Indianapolis, the free agent market will not offer much in the way of starting-caliber passers. The 2026 draft, meanwhile, only includes one quarterback (Fernando Mendoza) seen as a first-round lock. That could drive up the asking price for trade chips like Jones, but it remains to be seen if the 49ers will be convinced to seriously entertain any offers.
49ers Don’t Expect To Trade Mac Jones
Then in the market for a capable backup to starting quarterback Brock Purdy, the 49ers brought in Mac Jones on a two-year, $7MM contract last March. The move paid off in 2025 for San Francisco, which earned a playoff berth despite turning to Jones as its starter for almost half the season.
With injuries holding Purdy out of eight games, Jones helped the 49ers to a 5-3 mark during a 12-win campaign for the club. Across 11 appearances, Jones posted career highs in completion percentage (69.6), yards per attempt (7.4), passer rating (97.4) and QBR (62.9). The 27-year-old fired 13 touchdowns against six interceptions along the way.
Before teaming up with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, Jones endured a couple of down years as a Patriots starter and a Jaguars backup. The 15th overall pick in 2021, Jones finished second to Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. The Alabama product also helped lead the Patriots to the playoffs then, but the team peaked under Jones that season.
After back-to-back subpar years, the Patriots sold low on Jones in sending him to the Jags for a sixth-round pick in 2024. While logging seven starts in place of an injured Trevor Lawrence in his lone year in Jacksonville, Jones’ struggles continued.
Departing Jacksonville for San Francisco led to Jones’ revival under Shanahan, making it conceivable that quarterback-needy teams could inquire about his availability this offseason. Bringing in Jones and his $2.81MM base salary may be an attractive option for clubs seeking a veteran QB who can at least compete for a starting job. As you’d expect, though, the 49ers’ public stance is that Jones will remain in their uniform in 2026.
On the potential of dealing Jones, Shanahan stated (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area): “As any player on our team, including myself and John (Lynch), you always listen to people and trade offers, but we’re also not into getting rid of good players. So, I’d be very surprised if Mac wasn’t around us next year.”
Lynch echoed Shanahan’s sentiments, adding, “Like Kyle said, you always listen, but I know we’re a better football team with Mac Jones on our roster.”
While Jones’ presence benefited the 49ers in 2025, Purdy is locked in as their starter. With that in mind, an offseason trade involving the 49ers’ clear-cut backup may be on the table if a competitive enough offer comes along. A mid-November report identified Jones as a “prime trade candidate,” and it’s worth noting that he turned down better offers last March before latching on with the 49ers. It’s unknown which teams lost out on Jones in free agency then, but perhaps they’ll circle back on the trade market this year.
Kyle Shanahan: Brandon Aiyuk Has Been ‘Extremely Distant’ Since Injury
The 49ers placed wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk on the reserve/left squad list last week, raising significant questions about his future in San Francisco.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has since revealed more details about the strained relationship between Aiyuk and the 49ers. He said (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows) that Aiyuk has been “extremely distant” since his ACL injury in Week 7 of the 2024 season. That estrangement only grew this year; at the time of his move to the left squad list, the team had not heard from Aiyuk in over a month, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur.
Shanahan’s revelations add even more confusion into a drawn-out saga with Aiyuk that, including his contract standoff last offseason, has taken up virtually all of the last two years. The team believed that the four-year, $120MM extension would ease tensions with its star wideout, but Aiyuk’s somewhat slow start to the 2024 season and subsequent injury put the two sides at odds once again. The complete disconnect, though, is remarkable, given that the 49ers did eventually bow to Aiyuk’s demands and sign him to a massive contract.
San Francisco already voided the remaining guarantees on Aiyuk’s contract, which makes it financially easier to trade him. However, other teams may be hoping that the 49ers release him instead to end the situation as quickly as possible. That would allow them to sign Aiyuk at a much cheaper rate than his current contract. Aiyuk may also be angling for the same outcome so he can pick his next destination.
More light has also been shed on another complicated 49ers injury situation. Quarterback Brock Purdy missed Weeks 2 and 3 with turf toe and an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. He returned in Week 4 and played the entire game, but re-aggravated his toe in the process. Purdy was then sidelined for six more games, though he was not placed on injured reserve. His recovery was marked by intermittent practices and consistent uncertainty about his return timeline.
As it turns out, the 49ers intentionally slow-played Purdy’s return. He sought several medical opinions on his toe, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, and every doctor told him that surgery was not necessary. The 49ers opted to take a cautious approach with Purdy’s recovery to make sure that the issue did not linger for the rest of the season.
That plan seems to have worked out. The 49ers did not exactly thrive in Purdy’s absence, but Mac Jones kept the offense afloat. San Francisco alternated wins and losses until Purdy returned to the field in Week 11. Since then, they have won four straight games and are currently the NFC’s No. 2 wild card team. With Purdy back in the fold, the 49ers might be peaking at the right time to finish the season strong, secure a playoff spot, and go on a run in the postseason.
Vikings To Consider Competition For QB J.J. McCarthy In 2026?
The Vikings allowed quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones to depart in free agency this offseason, underscoring their faith in 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy. While Minnesota wanted an experienced backup behind McCarthy – which explains the club’s April acquisition of Sam Howell and the signing of Carson Wentz after Howell was traded in August – neither of those players was seen as a threat to McCarthy’s starting job. In 2026, the Vikes could be looking for someone who will actually push the Michigan product for the QB1 role.
Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, multiple league insiders suggest Minnesota may follow the QB blueprint the Colts took during the 2025 offseason. In other words, the Vikings could acquire a veteran or reclamation project to compete with McCarthy, in much the same way Indianapolis signed Jones to battle with Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall choice of the 2023 draft. Jones, who had washed out with the Giants, found new life in Indiana and is in line for another lucrative, multiyear deal (or at least the hefty $46.1MM franchise tag) in 2026.
[RELATED: Vikings, Seahawks Made Similar Darnold Offers]
Fowler says Jones remains an ideal fit for the Vikings, who could make a run at their former backup if the Colts are unable or unwilling to keep him off the market. Fowler also names the 49ers’ Mac Jones and the Texans’ Davis Mills as possible Minnesota targets. Both of those players were once viewed as potential franchise quarterbacks, and while Jones’ tenure in New England and Mills’ stint as Houston’s full-time starter did not end well, they both have built some trade value this season thanks to their efforts in relief of their respective clubs’ top signal-callers.
Mills, 27, has not been a world-beater during C.J. Stroud’s time in the concussion protocol, but he has led Houston to a 3-0 record in the games he has started, throwing five touchdowns against one interception in the process. Mac Jones, meanwhile, went 5-3 as a starter with Brock Purdy on the shelf, posting a completion percentage of 69.6% (fourth-highest in the league) and a 97.4 quarterback rating. He generally looked like the player who finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2021, and while both he and Mills are under contract through 2026, they both could be trade targets of teams like Minnesota (Fowler says the Niners could even fetch a Day 2 pick for Mac Jones).
Kyler Murray, who may already have taken his last snap for the Cardinals, and (interestingly enough) Richardson also fit the mold of players the Vikings could consider, as Fowler notes. The ESPN scribe says Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell has respect for Richardson, who has expressed interest in playing under an offense-oriented HC, specifically Sean McVay or someone from his coaching tree (like O’Connell).
If the Vikings instead consider a player closer to the end of their career, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco might be options (Minnesota spoke with Flacco this offseason, and Rodgers made it known the Vikes were his preferred landing spot). Likewise, a reunion with Wentz could be on the table, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
Wentz, who will turn 32 next month, had several strong showings earlier this year when McCarthy was sidelined with an ankle sprain. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury he sustained in Week 5 derailed his next two starts and brought a premature end to his season. Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune says Wentz’s shoulder surgery went well, so if O’Connell liked what he saw from the former MVP candidate, he could return in at least a backup capacity, or even as competition for McCarthy.
After missing all of his rookie campaign due to injury, McCarthy has struggled with more health issues this season. He missed five games due to the above-mentioned ankle sprain, and he will be sidelined for his team’s Week 13 contest while going through the concussion protocol. When he has been on the field, he has not played particularly well, completing only 54.1% of his pass attempts and throwing 10 interceptions and just six touchdowns en route to a 2-4 record.
Thanks in large part to McCarthy’s struggles, elite wideout Justin Jefferson has posted a career-low yards-per-game average (72.3) and catch percentage (60.6%). The two-time First Team All-Pro nonetheless offered public support for his young passer.
“It’s early,” Jefferson said (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert). “He’s new to the game. He’s new to the NFL. He’s learning just like everyone else has to learn as a rookie, and he obviously had to go through the mental stage of having to overcome an injury the first year. So just a tough transition for him. But I feel like just him learning these past couple games, and of course learning [during] the stretch of this season, I feel like he’s going to bounce back in a different way than everybody else is going to think so.”
Veteran running back Aaron Jones expressed a similar sentiment, saying, “I told [McCarthy] that the ones who counted you out, they’re going to have to recount.”
While McCarthy is sidelined, UDFA rookie Max Brosmer will get the first start(s) of his career. A strong performance could at least put him in consideration for an extended run in 2026.
Jets GM Darren Mougey Has Scouted QBs Fernando Mendoza, Dante Moore In Person; Latest On Team’s 2026 QB Plans
If the season ended today, the 2-9 Jets would hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 draft. Even if they do not end up with that pick – and it is certainly feasible they lose enough games down the stretch to find themselves even higher on the draft board – they should be in prime position to select one of next year’s top quarterback prospects.
To that end, GM Darren Mougey has scouted Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore in person, as ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes. Unfortunately for Mougey, the 2026 class of signal-callers, once viewed as a promising one, has seen its stock drop over the course of the 2025 season.
Mendoza has been among the most impressive collegiate QBs and is viewed by many as the top prospect likely to declare for the 2026 draft. Although the game that Mougey attended featured Mendoza leading a dramatic, game-winning drive against Penn State, opinions are split on his ceiling at the NFL level. Moore, meanwhile, is only 20 and could benefit from another year of development in the college ranks.
If players like Moore, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, and Texas’ Arch Manning decide to stay in school for one more season, that will strengthen a 2027 class that is already set to include Florida’s DJ Lagway and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola. We had heard one of the reasons Mougey was willing to accept a 2027 first-round pick from the Cowboys in this month’s Quinnen Williams trade was because of his belief that the ‘27 draft class offers more promise than its ‘26 counterpart. So, while the first-year GM is obviously doing his due diligence, he may wait another year to make a high-end draft investment in a QB (though Cimini says in a separate piece that there is “growing buzz” in league circles connecting Mendoza to the Jets).
Whether it is Mendoza or someone else, Cimini thinks the Jets will add a rookie QB in the 2026 draft, and he also believes Mougey will acquire a veteran passer. Despite the fact that Justin Fields’ 2026 salary includes $10MM in guaranteed money, Cimini indicates Mougey will likely release the recently-demoted signal-caller – which jibes with previous reports on the matter – and will not try to re-sign his replacement, Tyrod Taylor.
As per usual, the 2026 crop of free agents offers little by way of starting-caliber quarterbacks, and the one that does qualify as such, Daniel Jones, may not make it to free agency. Mougey could therefore look to the trade market to acquire a bridge passer, and Cimini names Kyler Murray, Mac Jones, and Kirk Cousins as potential targets (Murray and Jones, at least, could also be in the Vikings’ crosshairs).
UDFA rookie Brady Cook has spent most of the year on the Jets’ practice squad, though he has been elevated on several occasions to operate as a backup (he has not, however, seen any regular season game action). In response to a question about whether Cook would get into a game in 2025, head coach Aaron Glenn conceded it was a possibility, but he offered no guarantees.
49ers QB Mac Jones A Prime Trade Candidate For 2026
With Brock Purdy set to return to the starting lineup for San Francisco this weekend, head coach Kyle Shanahan has made it clear that there is no quarterback controversy in the Bay Area. That’s not to say backup passer Mac Jones hasn’t proven himself to be extremely capable of competing for a starting job but more so that Purdy will get the benefit of the doubt as the incumbent starter prior to injury. 
On the contrary to any potential criticism of Jones’ performance over his eight games as QB1, the buzz around the NFL recently has focused on the new trajectory of Jones’ career as a result of his commendable stint as the starter in San Francisco. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, in a league desperate for serviceable quarterbacks, Jones has established himself as one and “emerged as a prime trade candidate for 2026.”
After watching Purdy miss two games in 2024 and watching two different backup quarterbacks lose games as injury replacements, the 49ers committed to signing a higher-quality second arm in 2025. The team landed on Jones, giving him a two-year, $7MM deal with the potential to make up to $11.5MM.
He’s already added $500K from an incentive of playing at least 25 percent of the team’s offensive snaps and winning at least four regular season games as a starter. After eight starts, he may just trigger the second incentive requiring a 50 percent snap share and a playoff berth; both are very possible but not guaranteed at this moment. The two levels of incentives exist in the second year of his contract, as well, and if Jones does get traded to a team that names him the starter, he’ll have a good shot at hitting those marks again.
While the 49ers would certainly like to keep their strong QB2 option next year, his value as a trade asset may supersede any desires of keeping him. The Dolphins, Jets, Steelers, Browns, Saints, and perhaps even the Raiders and Cardinals all stand as teams that could be looking for a new starter in 2026. For a while, it seemed that the 2026 NFL Draft would be the saving grace for these teams, rich with young quarterback talent, but lately, evaluators have lost faith in the talent level of the draft-eligible passers in school now.
As a result, San Francisco may opt to capitalize on the value Jones has created for himself. Trading Jones would be mutually beneficial for the two parties as the team would be doing right by Jones, giving him an opportunity to start in the NFL, while getting a potentially valuable return in exchange.
For now, the focus in San Francisco is making sure Purdy is healthy and up to speed enough to assist the team on a second-half playoff push while also keeping Jones game-ready in case injuries force the team’s hand once again. If Jones continues to excel at executing the tasks set before him, though, he may just put himself — and the 49ers — in a strong bargaining position.
49ers QB Brock Purdy Could Return In Week 11
The 49ers could get quarterback Brock Purdy back on the field next week.
After San Francisco’s loss to the Rams on Sunday, head coach Kyle Shanahan said (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur) that Purdy “could have gone today.” However, the 49ers deactivated Purdy before the game and did not designate him as the emergency third quarterback. Doing so would not have affected the team’s game day roster, but Purdy would have been able to play had starter Mac Jones and backup Adrian Martinez both gotten injured. That decision runs contrary to Shanahan’s postgame pronouncement that Purdy was ready to play.
It seems like the 49ers are trying to avoid a repeat of Purdy’s first return from injury in Week 4. He played every snap, but re-aggravated his toe injury in the process and hasn’t played since. A similar incident this week or next could sideline him until the last few games of the regular season. He would likely be dropping right into the heat of a playoff race with little time to re-acclimate to the field before the win-or-go-home games begin. Instead, the team will wait until he is at 100%, so when he comes back, he comes back for good.
The 49ers’ success in Purdy’s absence is another reason not to rush his recovery. The team has gone 5-2 in his seven absences, keeping them firmly in playoff contention. Mac Jones‘ stats that aren’t far off from Purdy’s last season and outpace his two starts this year. Shanahan has made it clear that Purdy will retake the starting job once he is healthy, but Jones’ capable stewardship of the offense is a primary reason that he can take his time.
Mac Jones To Start Week 10; Latest On Other 49ers Injuries
Every week, there seems to be something injury-related coming out of the Bay Area. Whether it’s somebody preparing to miss a lot of time, a “will he” or “won’t he” gametime decision, or questions on timetables for return, the 49ers have provided headlines all season. The latest such headline pertains to the middle option as a questionable Brock Purdy will watch Mac Jones start for the sixth week in a row, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
It’s become a weekly post with Purdy, who has been on the team’s injury report every week since he was hurt in the season opener. The 25-year-old has been getting closer and closer to coming back, and head coach Kyle Shanahan communicated that he could still be active as a backup to Jones. Third-string passer Adrian Martinez was signed from the practice squad to the active roster back in October as Purdy was nearing a return back then, so with three quarterbacks on the 53-man, Purdy could either be a primary backup or an emergency third option.
The quarterback role we do know, though, will be Jones, who will start under center for the eighth time this year. After winning his first three starts as an injury replacement, Jones has cooled off, alternating losses and wins since then. Despite a largely injured supporting cast around him, Jones is averaging a career-high 261.7 passing yards per game while also sporting the best touchdown:interception ratio (10:5) of his career. He’ll be looking to buck the trend of alternating finishes after beating the Giants last week.
One player we know won’t be out there is wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. The second-year pass-catcher has been missing since Week 4 and is about to miss his sixth game in a row. Asked about what’s holding Pearsall from being able to play, Shanahan told the media that “he hasn’t been able to hit his normal speeds that would allow him to come back,” per Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Reporters noted the young wideout had been sighted doing sprints at practices and shooting jump shots in the locker room, but Shanahan was adamant that the team is waiting for Pearsall to be able to hit his old marks.
Pearsall isn’t the only receiver unavailable this week. Veteran wideout Brandon Aiyuk remains on the reserve/PUP list ten weeks into the season. November was offered up last month as a potential return window for the 27-year-old receiver. It’s now been over a year since Aiyuk has appeared in a game, and each week, expectations for Aiyuk’s 21-day practice window to be opened go unrealized. Shanahan continues to seem vaguely optimistic, with Vic Tafur of The Athletic quoting him as “pretty confident” that Aiyuk will be back sometime this season.
Given the extended absences of players like Purdy and Pearsall, among some others, there have been questions on why players missing so much time weren’t put on injured reserve. According to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, the primary reason is simply that they didn’t expect each player to be out for so long. Additionally, while the NFL has implemented the current system wherein teams can bring players back from IR, each team is only given eight such activations.
Lucky teams can put players with minor injuries on IR and activate them four weeks later just to manipulate roster numbers. With so many injuries week in and week out, the 49ers likely would’ve loved to place guys on IR so they could add healthy reinforcements to the roster. Knowing how many impact players they had already placed on IR, though, San Francisco needed to be weary of how it would be able to utilize its limited activations.
One player that did land on IR recently was edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos. Gross-Matos had been out since Week 5 and was expected to make a return soon. Unfortunately, the 27-year-old defender strained his hamstring again near the end of last week, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. While it will take Gross-Matos some time to work his way back from the injury, Shanahan doesn’t believe he will be sidelined for the remainder of the season.